The Adventures of Farmer Max
by JonClay
Summary: Follow the adventures of Max, a newcomer to Stardew Valley, as he tries to turn Millweed Farm into a success and earn some happiness along the way.
1. Enter: Farmer Max!

Growing up, I had spent many summers at Millweed Farm. My memories were of lush fields full of fruit trees interspersed with the occasional maple, pine and oak. The dozens of rows of crops—corn, melon, and blueberry in the summer—all had to be watered by hand. Grandad wasn't an enemy of modern tools and there were certainly sprinklers to be had. The old man just preferred doing the work himself. There were a lot of things I expected when I moved to Stardew Valley. I had learned what I could about farming in the space of time between where I quit my job and finally left for the valley, and I expected to be completely and totally exhausted. Sitting behind a computer all day doing data entry for Joja Corp doesn't exactly leave you with the sort of tough, robust body necessary for doing manual labor every day. What I was absolutely unprepared for was the state of Millweed Farm itself.

"Now, don't look so shocked son," Mayor Lewis said. He was an old man with a kindly voice who reminded me of my grandfather. The two had been close friends, apparently. "Millweed's been abandoned for a long time and the valley's always been fertile ground."

Shocked was an understatement. The beautiful, pristine field that stood out so clearly against my other childhood memories was nowhere to be seen. It had been replaced by a gnarled forest replete with wild grass, bushes, branches, and boulders. I breathed an uncomfortable sigh and sat down on the stoop of my grandfather's cottage. The old steps groaned under the stress of my weight, and had the house always been this small?

"What about the fruit trees?" I asked. "The apples, apricots, and oranges? Where did they get to?"

The carpenter, a red-haired woman named Robin, answered the question. "Fruit trees aren't as hardy as these trees you see here. The seeds blow in from the forest and can overwhelm a field in a season or two. The fruit trees probably got crowded out and died. Nature is all about survival of the fittest."

Errant seeds blowing in from the nearby forest made sense. I remembered grandpa saying how much of a chore it was to keep the trees under control. However, one puzzling question remained.

"The rocks and the boulders. How did they get here?"

My question was met with blank stares.

"Come on! Rocks don't grow out of the dirt! And look at the size of some of those boulders! Are you going to tell me that they blew in here from the forest too?"

"Ah, yes, about that," Mayor Lewis said. "The Joja Corporation was doing some work up in the mountains and they needed somewhere to stash the rocks they removed. I would have tried to stop them, but, well,"

"Let me guess," I ran a hand through my shaggy black hair. The golden hoops in my ear jangled as I shook my head. "They didn't ask before they did their dumping?"

Mayor Lewis nodded his head solemnly. "Millweed is out of the way. Your pappy has been dead for a while, and no one ever comes down here. Especially since the bus line broke down."

I starfished on the porch, staring up at the clear, spring sky. Here I was thinking that I was done with the Joja Corp forever. Nope. I would be cleaning up their mess for quite a while, it seemed. The stoop moaned as Mayor Lewis sat down and placed a yellow package next to me.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Max," He said. "Farming isn't easy. It's hours upon hours of back-breaking work in the hot sun. It'll get easier as time goes by and you get a hang of what plants make you the most profit and whatnot, but you've got a long struggle ahead of you." He motioned towards the yellow package. "I've got you fifteen parsnip seeds here to get you started."

I sat up. The mayor had a large, gray moustache and soft, genuine eyes that put my heart at ease.

"It also wouldn't hurt to get to know the community. The best part about living here in Stardew Valley is getting to know the people," Robin said. "Also, about the house. I did you a favor and looked it over when we got wind that someone was showing up to take over the property. The farmhouse itself isn't much. Basically, it's a single room with a bed, an old television and the bathroom is behind the house. The toilet works, but the shower doesn't."

"Looks like you'll be bathing in pond, Max," Mayor Lewis said, roaring with laughter. "You had better get that fixed before Winter rolls around otherwise you'll be in trouble."

"More good news," I said, sitting up.

"And if, and when, you get yourself set up properly you can always see come see me. I'm the carpenter around these parts and I can build anything you want," Robin said with a wink. "Coops, barns, silos for hay, and even remodel your house."

"Now, Robin, I thought you came here to welcome young Max to the valley not advertise your services," Mayor Lewis said, good-naturedly.

Robin gasped in mock-shock. "Why Mayor Lewis! I assure you that I had the most honest of intentions."

Sitting on the stoop listening to those two talk did much to help calm me down. Years of work in that cubicle farm, surrounded by dull, gray walls and the dreary hum of the industrial air-conditioner had left its mark on my psyche.

"All right," Mayor Lewis said. "We'll leave you to it, lad. When you get your bearings be sure to come into town and introduce yourself. Everyone's waiting to get to meet the new farmer."

And, just like that, I was alone. A gentle spring breeze rustled the leaves, carrying with it the scent of nature. The farmhouse was sparsely furnished. The television was one of those ancient models with the fat backs. There was a small, circular dining table, a lonely chair, a bed with almost enough room for one and a small nightstand that had been barely big enough to hold my meagre belongings. I found what I was looking for outside, tucked into the cubby that held the firewood: My grandfather's tools.

They were all there: The axe, the pick, the scythe, the watering can, and the hoe. There wasn't much point to standing around in the morning sun, examining the dinged-up tools. The axe's handle was warped, and the pick was chipped. Resolving that there was no point in me trying to clear this field now, I got to work planting the seeds that Mayor Lewis had given me. I used my scythe to clear a small patch of land directly in front of the farmhouse.

Years ago, I had sat on that very same stoop and watched grandpa work. He had made it look so easy, so effortless. I, on the other hand, was drenched in sweat from after the first few swings. After the grass had been cleared, I took a moment to catch my breath. There were a couple of branches and a rock or two that I made quick work of. The axe and pick showed me exactly how bad of a shape my body was in. The dull blade broke through rather than sliced the flimsy branch. Waves of shock coursed up my arm as the tip of the pick pierced the rough stone. Still, after all of this, I wasn't done.

I would have thought that I would be good at hoeing after four years at university, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The edge of the hoe had gotten warped. It caught in the dirt and I had to use all my strength to till the earth. Once I had my little five-by three patch tilled, I took care of the planting. This part of the work was easy, at least. Almost therapeutic. Going from seed to seed, one patch at a time, and watching the water slip from the can and drench the dirt put me in a zen state of mind. I could see why grandpa had always insisted on doing this part by hand.

The parsnips were planted and there were still hours of daylight left. My wristwatch told me that it was just after noon. I gathered up a spare change of clothes and wove my way through the maze of trees, branches and rocks, clearing away what little I could, until I was at the small pond that lay at the very bottom of my property. I stripped until I was in my underclothes and dove right in. As the cold water hit my skin, I felt renewed. Down here, away from the farmhouse, I could see the true extent of the mess. It would take weeks, if not months, of concentrated effort to clear away this forest and get Millweed Farm in proper working order. There, threading water in the pond, it hit me.

Yes, the field was a mess. Yes, there was a lot of work that needed to be done and, yes, it would take me years to turn a proper profit. I had a long struggle ahead of me. But this field, every single tree, every single branch, every stone and every seed, was mine. After having spent the last few years of my life following the orders of my uncaring supervisors, I was finally free. My success, or failure, rested entirely on my shoulders. There was something oddly freeing about that thought. Smiling to myself, I hauled myself out of the pond on my tired arms, got dressed and headed into Pelican Town. There was enough time in the day left for me to check out the General Store, at least.


	2. Meeting Abigail and Pierre

'Pierre's General Store,' the sign read. Inside, was the usual scene one would expect to find in a small-town grocery store. There were a few rows stocked with the essentials such as flour, sugar, oil and rice. The frozen section had a decent variety of cuts and there was milk and eggs in abundance.

"Good morning!"

The source of the cheery voice that shook me out of my stupor was a tall, brown-haired man who was standing behind the corner. He had the sort of smile that all shopkeepers did; a wide grin that didn't extend to his calculating eyes. One look at this man was enough to tell me that he was business first and everything else second.

"Morning," I said, stepping up to the counter. "I'm the new farmer in town. You must be Pierre, right?"

Pierre stuck out his hand. "Mayor Lewis told me that you were coming. I've been looking forward to meeting you! I'll have you know that Pierres offers the highest quality seeds around!"

I accepted Pierre's aggressive handshake and did my best to keep a straight face. "Um, that's good to know. My name is Max, by the way. It's nice to meet you, Pierre."

"Ah! Well, let me formerly welcome you to the community, Farmer Max! Have you made your way around town yet?"

"No, not really. I've been busy on the farm all day. I just decided to pop over to see what you have in stock. Got to see what supplies I've got to work with, you know?"

"Like I said, I sell a wide variety of seeds each season. If you need any metal work done, then Clint's your man. He's the local blacksmith. His shop is on the other side of town near the library. Other than him, the only other real point of interest is the saloon. Gus opens at around noon every day and he's a fantastic cook. If you're ever in the mood for some food made with love or an ice-cold beer, then he's the one you've got to see."

"Don't forget the Joja Mart to the north of Clint's shop."

Pierre started. His wide grin momentarily slipped into an irritated scowl. The source of this interruption turned out to be a girl with deep purple hair that clashed beautifully with her strikingly pale skin. She had come out of a backroom that I hadn't seen and was reorganizing items on the shelf.

"Dad always forgets to tell people about the Joja Mart," She continued.

"Yes, well, I'm sure Farmer Max will have no need to go there. After all, he can get everything he needs, and more, right here at Pierres.""

"Er, yeah," I said. "Thanks though, Miss, um?"

"This lovely young lady is my daughter, Abigail," Pierre said.

The longer Pierre kept talking, the more I was convinced that my initial assumption about him was spot on. I was the only farmer in town. Sure, some of the other townsfolk would buy the occasional seed packet or two, but I would be buying them by the hundreds. To this man I was a source of sustainable revenue first and a member of the community second.

"It's nice to meet you, Abigail," I said with what I hoped was a gentle, friendly smile.

"It's nice to meet you too, Max."

"Anyway," Pierre said, directing my attention back towards him. "I've got a lot of seeds here that you may be interested in. And I have a list of the selling prices that the crops will fetch once fully grown."

The brown-haired shopkeeper then launched into a long explanation about the benefits and drawbacks of each type of crop. Parsnips, it turns out, were one of the worst types of crop to grow from a financial perspective. The spreadsheet itself was impressive, listing the projected yield of different types of crops next to their expected growth rate.

I left the general store about half an hour later. Cauliflower, as it turns out, was the most valuable crop to grow in spring, but with only 500G in my pocket I decided to walk out with ten packs of potato seeds and hope for the best. On my way out, I ran into Abigail again.

"Hey," She said. "Hope my dad didn't talk your ear off."

"Oh! No, actually Pierre is really helpful. That profit information he gave me was really valuable."

Abigail rolled her eyes. We set off in the same direction, towards my farm. "That's dad, alright. Business all day every day."

"That was mean, though. Bringing Joja Mart into the conversation," I said.

There was no doubt in my mind why Pierre hated them. The Joja Corp's tactics were well known. They would move into a small market, run their businesses at a steady loss and squeeze the life out of every single independently owned mom-and-pop store in the region. Then, when all of their competition had folded, and their monopoly was established, they would jack their prices right up and laugh all the way to the bank.

Abigail shrugged. "I know, but I like irritating him. Besides, it's a free country. You're free to shop wherever you want. Sometimes it's embarrassing to see how overzealous he can get."

"There's no need to worry about that. I used to work for the Joja Corp. Yoba himself wouldn't be able to get me to give those bloodsuckers any of my money."

Despite herself, Abigail laughed. We had reached a fork in the road and stopped. "I'm going to chill by the fountain for a little while, but it was nice meeting you, Max. I'm happy that someone's taking over that farm, but I have to say that I'll miss relaxing in the forest at night. When the place gets all dark and quiet, right around midnight, I used to love going for walks through that field."

"You can still do that," I said. "I'm not going to have the place cleaned up for a very long while. Feel free to come and go as you please. As long as you don't damage my crops, I don't see the harm."

"Why Farmer Max, are you telling me to come to your farm under the cover of darkness so that I can have a romp in your forest? Don't you know that it's improper to be so forward with a girl you barely know. Especially a daisy fresh young maiden such as myself."

My ears grew hot and I nearly dropped all my potato seeds. "Wait, I didn't—"

Abigail burst out laughing. "Look at your face! I'm just playing with you, Max. Don't worry." She winked at me. "I might just take you up on your offer. Besides, it's not like your farms fenced up."

By the time I got back to my farm, my face had gone back to normal. I pushed the earlier conversations with Pierre and Abigail out of my mind. I had potatoes to plant.


	3. Leah, Sam, and Haley

My second day in Stardew Valley was hard. Real hard. Like 'Sweet mother of Yoba I nearly passed out at four o'clock in the evening' hard. It was my fault for thinking that I was man enough to handle clearing that field. I woke up at six o'clock in the morning—wonderful thing, really, I'm going to love doing that every single day for the rest of my life—and resolved to put a dent in the mess that had overgrown my property.

The blunt axe took a dozen or so swings to fell a single tree. By the time I had managed to gather a half-decent amount of lumber, my muscles refused to stop twitching. On the plus side, I did manage to find out what happened to my grandfather's fruit trees. The field was littered with several stumps that ate blow after blow, refusing to give way to my efforts. Breaking up the rocks didn't prove any easier. My already abused arms felt like tubes filled with limp jelly after an hour or two and those boulders weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

When I was done, when I could finally take no more, when my vision had gone blurry and I was right on the brink of exhaustion, I stood at the top of my field with my hand on my hips and took a look at a day's work. What a terrible decision that was.

Seven hours of hard work and all I had to show for it was a barely perceivable dent in the giant mess of greenery that was my field. Whatever. I fired up the one-burner camping stove my grandfather left me, ate my dinner, and went to bed.

On day three, I woke up, watered my crops, looked at my field and decided to spend the entire day getting to know Stardew Valley better. The forest behind my farm was as good a place to start as any. The dirt crunched under my feet as I strayed off the beaten path, exploring every nook and cranny that I could. I found a wild horseradish and some spring onions across the river. I figured that I would sell most of it because I could use the extra money until my crops came in, but there was no harm in keeping one or two to have with dinner.

The forest was calm and peaceful. A constant, gentle breeze kept me cool, yet I couldn't help but be agitated. My heart was out of control. I kept waiting for the ball to drop, for my old boss to burst through the trees and chew me out for turning in a report that had one typo too many. The scars left by my past life would not be so easily healed. I wondered, as a fresh gust caressed my face, how long it would take for me to appreciate this new life of mine.

My therapist back in the city had said that meditation helped in times of stress, so I rolled up my pants and sat in the river. The cold water made my feet tingle and the sounds of it rushing over the rocks, washing over the muddy bank, helped me immensely.

"Hey there!"

The strange voice kicked my heart into overdrive. I lurched forward, nearly tumbling into the river. I was saved by a pair of strong hands grabbing on to the back of my thin t-shirt.

"Sorry! Don't want you falling into the river, now do we?"

I turned and found myself face to face with a woman clad in a green vest. She had a pointed chin and her long brown hair ended in a braid that was draped over her shoulder.

"Yeah, no doubt," I said, once my panic had subsided.

"Sorry for sneaking up on you," The girl said. "You must be the new farmer, right?"

"Farmer Max at your service," I said, remembering what Pierre and Abigail had called me. "Does my reputation precede me, or did you just make a lucky guess?"

My strange new friend joined me with her feet in the water. "Pelican Town isn't exactly a sprawling metropolis. Live here long enough and you get to know almost everyone by face at the very least. My name is Leah, by the way. It's nice to meet you, Max."

"Nice to meet you too. So, what are you doing here, Leah? Enjoying the ambience of the forest?"

Leah sniggered and gestured over her shoulder with her thumb. "I live in a cabin a little bit over there. I saw you wandering around out here and thought that I should come introduce myself. The forest is wonderful, isn't it? Quiet, peaceful, and you can find lots of good food when you forage around a bit."

I held up my bunch of spring onions and smiled. "I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do with these babies. I'm surprised that I didn't see anyone else in the forest, though. Don't people ever want to go for a walk in the woods?"

"You're from the city, aren't you?" Leah asked.

"Yeah," I answered, feeling slightly defensive. "How did you know?"

"Because I'm from the city too. I came here looking for some peace, quiet, and tranquility. The people who live in Pelican Town don't really have the same appreciation for the wilderness as we do," Leah answered.

"Makes sense. We probably wouldn't find the forest half as alluring if we had been born here either."

Leah got out of the river, shook the water from her feet and pulled her shoes back on. "People are strange creatures. You should probably check out the beach if you have time. I'm going to head into town. Got some shopping to do. Take care, Max."

I watched Leah walk away and stayed with my feet resisting the surge of the cold water for a few more minutes before deciding that I should be doing something more valuable with my time. I knew the Pelican Town beach very well. Since I had always come here on vacation during summer, I had spent quite a bit of time wading in those warm waters. But it was spring, not summer. In fact, winter had been over for less than a week and I was sure that the water would still be freezing. Checking it out wouldn't hurt, though, and I might find some shells or oysters. I got up and followed in Leah's footsteps, entering Pelican Town from the bottom entrance.

As I passed the first house, the door opened and a tall guy with spiky blonde hair and a skateboard tucked under his right arm stepped onto the street. His face split into a wide grin as he saw me pass.

"Yo! New guy! Wait up!"

I turned around, surprised at being called, but kept walking. I bumped into something soft and heard something fall to the ground. In my haste, I had knocked someone to the ground.

"Oh my," I gasped. "Hey, I'm sorry-guh"

 _Mercy._

All the words I had meant to say were nowhere to be found. My mind went blank. The girl, no, the woman I had bumped into was staring up at me. Her blue eyes, filled with disdain, were narrowed.

"Are you going to stand there staring at me or are you going to help me up?" She snarled.

I hurriedly took hold of her arm and pulled her to her feet. In addition to her wide, blue eyes, she had curly blonde hair and plump, pink lips. She wore a blue spaghetti strap top and a flared purple skirt that she irately dusted.

"I'm sorry," I said, once my voice had returned.

The angel before me rolled her eyes, spun on her heels and left me standing there like a slack-jawed idiot. I watched her walk away. No, wait, that sounds wrong. I watched her _sashay_ away until she rounded the corner. A sudden weight around my shoulders pulled me out of my trance.

"You've got predictable tastes Mr. New Guy."

The blond dude with the skateboard from before had draped his arms around my shoulders.

"If I were you, though, I would stay away. Trust me Mr. New Guy, you aren't Haley's type."

"What? I wasn't, I mean, she's beautiful, but-"

"Relax," Skateboard dude said. "My name's Sam. I guess you're the one who's taking over that old farm?"

Pelican Town being so close knit would save me a lot of time making introductions, at the very least.

"Max is the name. Nice to meet you, Sam. You off to skateboard somewhere?"

"I was, but I can show you around if you want," Sam said.

"Um, yeah, sure, why not. I was on my way to the beach."

"Super! Let's go freeze our butts off then!"

With Sam's friendly arms still draped around my shoulders, he steered me towards the beach, but I'm not ashamed to say that my thoughts were still filled with images of Haley.


	4. Lunch with Sam

Coarse sand trickled through my fingers as Sam and I sat on the beach, watching the waves break against the shore. The cold, salty sea-breeze made a mess of my already tousled hair. Sam and I had combed the beach. My pack was stuffed full of shells, oysters and other oddities that I could sell for some pocket change.

"How're you liking the town so far, Max?" Sam said.

"Not got any strong opinions either way, to be honest," I said. "But it seems small and peaceful and that's nice."

Sam nudged me with his elbow. "That's Pelican Town alright. Small, peaceful, and chock-full of cute girls. I'm sure if Haley hit you with a smile instead of a snarl you'll form a real positive opinion."

I felt my face grow red. "That has nothing to do with anything."

Sam threw his arm around my shoulder and started laughing at my blush. "Sure it doesn't. I still think you should stay away from her, but I'll be cheering you on. So, what brought you to Pelican Town in the first place?"

"I used to work for Joja Corporate and," I took a deep breath. "I just burned out man. Life got too much for me."

There was something about the atmosphere Sam created that made me feel like I could open up to him. He had the type of personality that appealed to everyone. I had only known Sam for less than a day, but I felt like we had been friends for years already. Surprisingly, when Sam heard that I worked for Joja Corp, he nodded in understanding.

"I work at JojaMart and it sucks man. I can't imagine what it must be like working for the big bosses. I get what you mean about feeling burnt out, too. You need to remember to take time out to look at the clouds max," Sam looked up at the sky. "They look like big bowls of fluffy mashed potatoes."

"I think you might just be hungry, Sam," I said.

Sam flashed me a wide, toothy grin. "Yeah, that's what happens when you skip lunch and spend all afternoon beach combing with the new farmer."

"I got some spring onions. You can have one if you like."

"No thanks, bro," Sam said, making a face. "My mom likes to feed us enough of that healthy junk. Hey, I have an idea. Let's go to the saloon. I'll buy you a welcome-to-the-town lunch."

As I was quite enjoying my conversation with Sam, and not one to say no to a professionally made lunch, I said yes and we left the chilly beach behind and made the short walk over to the saloon. The building itself was one of the largest in town. It was still early in the afternoon and Sam and I were the only customers in the place. The owner, bartender, and only other person in the room, was a mustachioed gentleman with a brown jacket over a blue shirt. Sam bought us each a plate of spaghetti and meatballs and the bartender, who introduced himself as Gus, gave us our space.

"You live with your parents, then?" I asked in an effort to fill the silence between bites.

The plate of food before me had been cooked to perfection. The meat sauce was thick, the meatballs were juicy, and succulent and brought out the flavor of the pasta.

"Yeah," Sam answered. "It's just me, my mom, and my baby brother right now. Dad's off fighting the Gotoro Empire. He's due to come back sometime soon."

The tone with which Sam spoke made it clear to me that, though he was comfortable revealing this information, he didn't want to talk about his father.

"I always wanted a baby brother. Unfortunately, I was an only child. Then again, if I wasn't the only grandchild then I might not have gotten the farm," I said.

Sam laughed, sending bits of spaghetti flying. "You have a good point. There are benefits to being the oldest kid, too. I got the biggest room in my house."

"You also have to deal with a lot of responsibility."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Sam rolled his eyes. "But if someone has to work then I'd rather it be me than my mom. Speaking of which, I got to go see what my mom's up to. Take care, Max."

Sam slid off the stool and made his way to the saloon exit. As I watched him go, arms swinging freely, something clicked in my mind.

"Sam, bro. Where's your skateboard?"

Sam yelped and ran out of the saloon. Probably to the beach where he had left his precious skateboard. Belly full and thoroughly exhausted, I made my way back to my farm and sorted through the stuff I found.


	5. More Haley!

I had already gotten used to life in Stardew Valley by the time the third week of Spring rolled around. I had made some decent progress on the farm and had settled into a sort of routine. Every day, at six o'clock, I would wake up, water my crops and then spend the rest of my day either fishing or, if I was feeling particularly adventurous, exploring the mines that lay in the mountains right outside of town. It had taken me two whole weeks, but I had met everyone in town, though we were still basically strangers.

Life had definitely changed for the better since I had come to the valley. I woke up early every day because I wanted to, not because I had to, and that made all the difference in the world. My mental health had improved as well. Watering the crops, seeing my efforts rewarded each day, and spending my downtime fishing in either the river or the beach had done much to erase the anxious scars left by my previous life stuck in that prison of a cubicle. My physical health on the other hand, well, I was really proud of that. Swinging a sword around, chopping down trees, breaking rocks, and generally spending all day on my feet and eating super healthy meant that I had started losing fat and gaining muscle.

Still, my new life was fulfilling, but not easy. Those fifteen parsnips Lewis had given me when I got to the valley had been grown, shipped, and not worth the effort for the small amount of money I got in return. My farm right now was dominated by potatoes and cauliflower. Two crops that Pierre assured me would fetch a better price.

On the fourteenth of Spring, the day after the egg festival, I did what I had to do in the morning and set off towards the mines. At the end of the day, city or country, money was still money. I was barely making ends meet and the occasional gemstone or ore vein was proving to be a reliable source of income that would have to make do until my latest crop came in. I spent all day descending through the claustrophobic cave, fighting off green slimes, bats, and these odd little fuzzballs.

Slimes were innocent, almost cute, little balls of hatred who slammed into your body with all their might. Thankfully, they weren't mighty at all. I managed to last half-day in the mines before I had to beat a tactical retreat and make a dash for the elevator. I emerged from the mine, eyes dazzling in the afternoon sun. My pack was full to the brim with copper ore and a few rare gems. I briefly considered donating them to the museum before deciding that I'd rather eat instead. Gunther would have to wait to have his precious collection completed.

I made my way down from the mountains, passing by Robin's house and the broken-down community center—the only building I hadn't entered yet—and made my way to the fountain. The fountain was where lots of Pelican Town citizens spent their time. My chest constricted as I made out a familiar face.

"Hey, Haley," I said.

Haley was sitting on the bench next to the fountain reading a magazine. Things hadn't progressed much since our first disastrous meeting when I had accidentally sent her tumbling to the ground. She didn't look up from her magazine and barely registered the bench shaking as I sat next to her.

"Hello, farmer boy," Haley said, finally turning towards me. Her blue eyes ran over my dusty blue shirt, my torn jeans and the gold hoops in my ears and she made a face. "Your taste in fashion is horrendous."

"Farming life is all about function over form, my dear," I said. The mines had left me exhausted. I stretched my legs out before me and leaned back.

"Aren't farmers supposed to, I don't know, farm?" She asked, eyeing the shiny steel sword that I had rested next to the bench. "Then again, I can't blame you for wanting to do something exciting with your life. It must be really boring out there on that lonely old farm."

I shrugged. "Not really. I've got a dog now. Marnie found a stray and gave it to me. Besides, you're one to talk. Emily works for Gus, but I haven't got a clue what you do with yourself."

Haley stuck her tongue out at me and turned back to her magazine. "You don't need to know about my life. Speaking of Emily, she said to talk to her at the saloon when you get a chance."

"What about?"

The magazine smacked against the bench. Haley was looking at me, her face a mask of childish frustration. I should have probably felt irritated at her angsty display, maybe even a little insulted, but there was something in the gleam of her eyes and the pout of her lips that made me want to tease her even more.

"Sorry, I didn't get that," I said. "Could you try using words next time?"

Haley groaned and roughly opened her magazine. "I don't know what she wants. You'll have to ask her. Now stop bothering me, jeez."

I rested my neck against the bench. Her words had put knots in my stomach and a weight on my chest. Teasing her was stupid, immature, childish, and likely to get me completely ignored. I shouldn't have done it. I blinked, the world went dark, then somebody was poking me with a book. Startled, I jumped and saw Haley standing next to me, her rolled up magazine clenched in her right hand.

"Hey, farmer boy, wake up," She was saying. "It's four-thirty. You've been asleep for, like, two whole hours. I'm going home."

"Oh, yeah, thanks. I'll head home too," I said, dazed from my abrupt awakening.

"Whatever."

The Spring sun bathed the entire area in a dull, orange glow. I watched Haley's back disappear into the distance before shaking my sleepy legs back to life and heading back to my farm. I had a crop of potatoes due tomorrow and I needed a good night's rest.


	6. Cleaning the cushions

I walked through Pelican Town with the sack of potatoes Emily had asked for slung over my shoulder. My brown dog, Nimble, ran circles around me, darting in and out of the grass, sniffing hedges and messing up Evelyn's flowers. My belly was full, my pockets were heavy with the profits gained from yesterday's trip into the mines, and my spirits were high. Nimble came rushing up to me, weaving his way around my legs. The little stray was poorly behaved at the best of times, but he always wore this dopey grin with his tongue hanging out that made staying mad at him impossible.

I arrived at the door to Number Two Willow Lane, Emily and Haley's house, and was greeted by the sounds of a muffled argument. For a moment I considered turning around and walking away, not wanting to get myself involved, but the potatoes were quite heavy and, well, I was curious. I knocked on the door.

"Come in."

I did. The door opened directly into the living room. There was a large, wooden coffee table, a sofa, and a recliner both the color of red velvet. Emily and Haley were beside the sofa, obviously in the middle of some sort of disagreement. On the surface, it was hard to believe that these two were sisters. Emily's shoulder length blue hair contrasted greatly with Haley's bright blonde locks. Haley's eyes were a brilliant blue while Emily's were a rich, deep brown. Emily had an eclectic taste in fashion—today she wore a long, plain red dress—while Haley only wore the latest trends. The resemblance was still there as long as you knew where to look. Both girls had pointed chins, the ends of their hair curled upwards and they could both be stubborn in their own way.

"Er, morning, girls," I said, closing the door before Nimble could enter. "Am I interrupting something?"

Haley scoffed, crossing her arms, and turned away from me.

"It's fine, Max," Emily said. "Haley is just being a little child."

"It's your turn to clean under the cushions!" Haley stomped her feet. "I cleaned them last week!"

"Haley, you're being childish," Emily said. The hard, matter-of-fact tone she used surprised me. It seemed so unlike her. "I do the vast majority of the housework and we both know it."

I edged my way around the living room, not wanting to get myself too involved in their spat. I deposited the sack of potatoes in the kitchen and took another look at the sisters. Haley wore her finest scowl, but Emily refused to be budged. It was hard to believe that these two grown adults were having a serious argument about whose turn it was to clean under the couch cushions. Then again, I was an only child. There was probably a dynamic at play here that I didn't understand.

"Farmer boy!" Haley came up to me and pulled me into the room. My heart skipped a beat as her soft, slender fingers wound around my wrist. "You agree with me, right? If it's her turn, then it's her turn!"

We stood behind the couch. Haley was a foot away from me, both hands holding onto my wrist, looking up at me with those wide, blue eyes. Emily shook her head and clicked her teeth. I knew she was trying to manipulate me. I just didn't care. Haley went in for the kill. She slumped her shoulders and engaged full pout.

Holy Merciful Yoba, she was perfect.

"See, Emily? Farmer boy agrees with me!"

Emily rolled her eyes. "He hasn't said anything yet. Also, he has a name, you know."

"Tell her, Marv."

"Max."

"You agree with me, right Max?" Haley asked.

There was a part of me, a tiny little niggle, that finally managed to take offense at her obvious attempt to sway my emotions.

"I think this entire argument is a little juvenile," I heard myself say.

Haley pursed her lips, dropped my hands and stomped away at once. My stomach dropped as the distance between her and I increased, but there was nothing I could do about that right now.

"Emily probably feels like she shouldn't have to do more when she already does so much, Haley," I continued. "Maybe you should make this your one weekly job or something. Since you obviously dislike cleaning. It's not fair for you to leave all the work to your sister."

Haley made a show of stomping her feet and glaring at us both with narrowed eyes, but I could tell that she found the prospect of only having to clean under the cushions each week greatly appealing.

"Fine. Whatever," She finally said.

"Thanks, Max. I'm going to take a look at those potatoes," Emily said.

She went into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Haley who had already started cleaning under the cushions.

"Could've agreed with me, Max," Haley said, with her back towards me.

I sat down in the recliner and watched her work. The girls didn't have a television, just a computer that was on a desk on the other side of the living room.

"Could've suggested that Emily make you do even more work, too. I get the feeling that she would've chomped on that bit," I said, smiling.

For all the arguing she put up, Haley finished with the cushions in under a minute and was soon sitting on the couch with one of her magazines.

"Why are you even here, Farmer Boy? Do you get some kind of creepy kick from sitting around in girls' living rooms?"

"Creepy? That hurts, you know. And I'm waiting for my money. Em and I are cool and all, but those taters ain't free."

Haley rolled her eyes. "Great. The Veggie Princess will have us eating potatoes morning, noon and night for the next month. Thanks a lot, Max."

"You are very welcome," My heart raced in my chest. She remembered my name that time.

Emily came out of the kitchen and pressed some coins into my hand.

"They look wonderful, Max. Thanks a lot. It's so wonderful to have a real farmer back in the town again."

"No problem, Emily. I guess I'll see you both around."

Pockets heavier, and heart lighter, I left the house quickly. I didn't want to overstay my welcome, after all. Nimble was at my side at once. I reached down and pat my dog on the head.

"Come on, boy. Let's go take a walk through the forest."

Back inside the house, Emily was busy peeling potatoes. Haley was laying with her legs up on the couch, still reading her magazine.

"He obviously likes you," Emily said.

"Whatever," Haley sighed.


	7. The Flower Dance!

_Note from the author: I hope you guys like this new addition to Farmer Max's story. I'm trying to get back in the groove of things. This semester was my last at university and I was super focused on that. And, because I have no luck, I had to have surgery after my exams were over. Dealing with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and an uncertain future hasn't made for a good time. Follow me on twitter at /jonclay14 for updates on my writing._

Life can change alarmingly fast, in the time it takes to snap a finger, or for a pin to fall, your life can be utterly ruined. I had only been in Stardew Valley for a little while, and already the weight on my chest had been lifted. The darkness had disappeared. I could no longer see the rope swaying ominously in my peripheral vision. It had taken me a solid season to get to the point where I could look towards the future without breaking down into cold sweats. It had taken hours of hard work and exercise, a growing sense of fulfillment, and the joy of seeing my own blood, sweat, and tears turn into tangible profit joy. It was amazing how one little little word uttered by a pair of plump pink lips under a balmy spring sky could undo a entire season's worth of therapeutic labor.

"Ew."

Haley turned away, leaving me to stand there in the middle of the meadow with a stupid look on my face. The effects of her rejection were immediate. My ears and neck burned with embarrassment. I quickly took stock of my surroundings and saw that no one was paying attention or had noticed anything amiss with our brief conversation. Then, with a sudden surge of shame I realized that everyone was being a bit too ignorant. Haley was practicing her dance moves in the middle of the meadow, twirling about to her heart's content while everyone else was hanging around the edges. I put on my best poker face and turned towards the first friendly face I saw: Sam.

"Hey, Max! Sorry that didn't work out for you," Sam said as I approached.

I let out a tired sigh. Penny was there as well. The auburn haired beauty regarded me with a piteous glance usually reserved for only the sickest of puppies.

"So you guys noticed that, huh?"

"Pretty sure everyone did," Sam said.

"You pretty much just walked into the meadow, walked straight up to the prettiest girl around and asked her to dance," Penny said. "Didn't say hi to your friends, even."

"I lost my head, that's all," I said. "I saw here there, with her skirt twirling in the sunlight and, I. . .had to ask her. I knew she was going to say no. Yoba, I feel like a moron."

Sam threw his head back, laughed and pat me hard on the back. Penny covered her mouth while giving a mute giggle.

"Dude, there's nothing to be ashamed off," Sam said. "Nothing wrong with a little rejection. Especially from Haley."

"Rejection is expected as far as Haley is concerned," Penny said. "Unless you're Alex."

Alex? I could barely put a face to the name. Stardew Valley was a small community, but it was by no means as close-knit as it sounded. As with everywhere else in life, small cliques had formed amongst the citizenry. Without meaning too I had fallen in with Sam, Abigail, Sebastian, and, sometimes, Penny. I saw Emily at the saloon and Leah in the forest. Everyone else was a passing face. Alex was one of those. I remember introducing myself to him, but he hadn't paid me much attention.

"Might as well get it over with, bro," Sam said.

I turned, following his gaze, and, I'm not going to lie, my heart dropped.

"Huh. I forgot how ripped he was."

Haley had been joined by a ridiculously good looking guy who had a head of wavy brown hair, a chiseled jaw, and broad, toned, shoulders. She had his hand under his jacket, rubbing her slender fingers over his thin white t-shirt, massaging his rugged muscles.

"Those two deserve each other. As shallow as the beach at low tide and too good to talk to anyone else," Sam said, with a surprising amount of venom. "Good riddance. I tried to warn you, bro. Really, I did."

His assessment wasn't fair, really it wasn't, but I saw where he was coming from. Haley always walked around with her nose in the air, acting as if she was too good for Stardew Valley. Alex was the same way. The jock spent his time working out, throwing his football, and telling anyone who would listen that he couldn't wait to go pro and leave the valley behind. Neither of them had bothered to make any friends. It said a lot that they had been in the valley their entire lives yet I had managed to make more friends in my one season. Still, at that moment, with my heart on the floor, I wasn't about to speak up in their defense.

The rest of the day passed without consequence. I made the rounds, saying hi to all of the people I barely saw like Leah and Emily. I talked cookery with Gus, discussed flowers with Evelyn, and, once the dance started, I stood back and watched the couples in their matching blue outfits and pretended that my heart wasn't in pieces. Haley got crowned flower princess, of course. She was beautiful. That evening I slept in my field under the final stars of spring. Maybe next year someone will dance with me. Maybe.


	8. Exhaustion

_Follow me on twitter JonClay14_

I stumbled towards the cave entrance. So close. The light was so close. My t-shirt was in tatters, my face was flushed with blood, my body was marred by small cuts. I leaned on my rusty sword, trusting it to hold my weight. Those cursed slimes. Marlon had tried to warn me.

"Things get dangerous fast, son. The deeper you go the worse it gets. Remember to stick close to the elevators."

Well, I hadn't. A combination of greed and laziness had gotten the better of me. I had found a book in the library that had blueprints for little sprinklers. With them I would have been able to expand the size of my field, make more money, and, on top of all that, if I made enough sprinklers I would be able to wake up a bit late, read a book, really enjoy life. All I needed was a whole lot of ore—both iron and copper—and a lot of coal. Copper was easy enough to get. Iron, on the other hand, meant that I had to go deep into the mines. Deeper than I had ever done before. It had taken me a solid week of effort to make it down to level forty, activating the ancient elevators as I went, fighting more and more monsters on the way.

It was my fault. I overestimated my stamina and my strength. I should have known better than to overextend myself than that. I was no warrior. Heck, I was barely a farmer. Now, I might be dead. Not if I could make it to the light though. All I had to do was make it to the light. I edged forward, inch by inch, dragging the tip of my rusty sword along the floor.

"Almost. . .there."

My breath was short. The edges of my vision began to blur. I didn't make it to the light.

Or did I.

My eyes opened slowly and I found myself staring at a blinding white light. A mustachioed face came into view as my vision sharpened.

"God?" I asked, my voice weak.

"No, just your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Harvey," the face said with a smile.

"Oh, hey doc."

I had met Harvey a while back, when I had come to the valley for the first time and had made the rounds introducing myself to everyone. Since then the doc and I hadn't had much to say to each other. My clique didn't mesh with his clique. In fact, I don't think the doctor had much of a clique to speak off. I never saw him hanging around with anyone. I tried getting up and made it into a sitting position before I slid down onto my back.

"Whoa, woozy."

"Yes, that's what happens when you push yourself too hard," Harvey said, leaning back in his leather chair.

Now that some of my senses had returned, I took stock of the room I was in. I was laying on a delightfully comfortable bed. The sheets, walls, and furniture were all white. I knew it was a doctor's office, but, sheesh.

"I passed out? Wait what about-"

"Your things are right here. You had a lot of iron on you and quite a lot of gems as well. Went hunting in the mines, hmm?"

I breathed a sigh of relief and let myself sink into the feathery mattress. At least the trip hadn't been for nothing.

"Yeah. I'm all about the adventure, doc. Can't you tell by looking at me?"

"Not to mention that there's probably more profit in mining rare ore than there is in growing cabbages," Harvey said nonchalantly.

I let out a small giggle that I immediately regretted. My ribs ached. "The real money is in potatoes anyway. Doc, not that I don't enjoy the company, but can I go? Your bed is nice and all, but experience tells me that you guys charge my the hour. How did I get here anyway?"

"I'm not that expensive. Not as much as my fellows in Zuzu city. The inhabitants of the valley are pretty healthy," Harvey got up and made some notes in a small clipboard on the counter. "As for how you got here. . .Linus brought you."

"Linus? You mean the homeless dude?"

"There is a difference, a subtle one I think, in being homeless and choosing to live amongst nature," Harvey said. "But, yes, that Linus. He noticed that you didn't come out of the mines and brought you here to me. You owe him some thanks."

Those words brought our brief interaction to an end. I settled up my bill and lugged my stuff back to the farm. It was dark out, the streets were empty, and my bones ached. I figured that Harvey was right. Linus was another person that I hadn't exchanged many words with. I had introduced myself, of course, but that was it. Regardless, I had to think him. The next day I made my way to his tent, I had seen it every time I went to the mines, with a delicious melon that I had been saving for myself. The wild man noticed me coming from a distance. I saw him give a little start, I saw the fear in his eyes, and I felt bad. Why would he look like that?

"Hey, Linus."

"Hullo," Linus muttered, regarding me with distrust.

Awkward.

"Harvey told me that you lugged my stupid body all the way to his clinic. I figured that I would give you something for your troubles," I held out the melon and put on my biggest smile.

Despite the wild man's reservations, I could tell that he really wanted my melon.

"Maybe we could split it?" I asked, hoping to ease the tensions.

Linus shrugged. I plopped down on the ground next to him and went to work on the melon with a knife I had brought along. We sat like that, eating in silence. With the melon now nothing more than a not so distant memory, we sat next to each other and stared out at the horizon.

"So you choose to live like this?" I asked, remembering the doctor's words. "In a tent?"

Linus nodded. "It's not as bad as most people would think. Human beings are so wasteful. We throw away tons of food, destroy nature with our plastics, and consume more than we need every day. There's nothing wrong with the way I live. I want for nothing."

"Huh," I leaned back, putting all my weight on my forearms. "I can kind of understand that. I used to work for the Joja corporation in the city. I came to the valley because I got tired of it all. Wanted to live a more laid back life. Maybe be a real part of the community."

"Be a part of the community, huh? Is that why you spent every day since summer started working yourself to death in the mines? How does toiling away in the darkness make you a part of the community?"

"I mean, a man has to make a living as well, Linus. No disrespect, but I need money to live."

Linus shook his head. "You didn't see yourself sprawled on the cave floor. You have time, Mr. Farmer."

"What? Time for what?"

"Time for whatever you want. There's no boss to make you do what you want. If you really want to be free then you need to realize that you have time to enjoy life. Don't spend it all trying to achieve some arbitrary goal."

Linus wasn't looking at me. He was staring out over the lake. His words cut deep. He was completely right. We were in the middle of summer, the air was hot and the beach was warm, yet I had done nothing but dig for ore in the mines. I hadn't seen Sam or, Yoba forbid, Haley in weeks.

"Maybe you're right. I think I have a lot more work to do."

Linus nodded.

"My name is Max, Linus. Farmer Max."

"It's nice to meet you, Farmer Max. Thank you for not being afraid of me."


	9. Relaxing with Sam on the beach

_Follow me on twitter JonClay14 for updates on my writing. This chapter sees Max unwinding on the beach with his best bro Sam._

With Linus's words fresh in my mind, I decided to stop slaving away in the depths of the mines and enjoy my summer. I had enough coal and ore to make enough sprinklers to keep my meagre crops watered. It was one of the best decisions I could have made. Summers in the city were miserable. The heat radiated off the asphalt, turning the concrete jungle into a damp, toxic, miserable environment that left you with nothing to do but spend your days moving from one air-conditioned oasis to the next. Don't get me wrong, the valley was hot as well, incredibly so. It was also incredibly lush.

The grass was green and moist, without being overly damp. The dreadful heat was counteracted by cool breeze blowing from the forest and the ocean. Living in Stardew Valley during the summer, watching the sun rise at six a.m, spending my days lazing in the shadow of a mighty oak, blessed me with an almost overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Of course, things weren't all peaches and cream. I had to keep hacking away at my field, tending to my crops, fighting off crows and whatnot. The crows. Those worthless crows. My new life was relatively stress free, the only thing that could send me into a violent rage was waking up in the morning after a perfect night's sleep to find that a stupid crow had snacked on one of my melon seeds. I wasn't going to let those feathered fiends ruin my summer, however, and I soon found myself on the beach catching some rays with Sam on his day off.

"Man, this is the life!" Sam said.

He and I were sprawled on the beach, separated from the hot sand by thin beach towels. Our hair was damp, covered in salt and sand, and our bodies were flecked by salt water.

"Sure is," I said. "Gotta love the beach, man."

"Uh-oh. Looks like your girlfriend is here, dude."

I turned my head in time to see Haley and Emily make their entrance. Emily's blue hair lightly tickled her shoulders, and clashed wonderfully with her rainbow themed one-piece swimsuit. Haley was dressed more conservatively, in terms of color, at least. Her long blonde hair was tied into a high ponytail. She wore a risque pink two-piece and completed the look by hiding her eyes behind a pair of pitch black aviators.

"She's so beautiful," I heard myself say.

Sam let out a short peal of laughter. "Aw, man. You got it bad, Max. You should go and talk to them."

I shook my head and lay back down on the towel. "Nah. Leave her be, for now at least. One rejection per year is my limit."

"I don't know, dude. You're looking pretty ripped. If you go up to her with those muscles glinting in the sunlight and she won't be able to resist!"

"Yeah, but is that what I want? I want her to like me for me, not for my body."

Sam groaned and fell back onto his towel. "Dang, Max. I was just trying to have some banter and you went and made it serious. Besides, don't you like her for her body?"

I nodded. "I won't lie. Haley is very attractive, but she's more than that. I may not know her that well, but I can just _feel_ it, you know?"

"Maybe you're a masochist. It makes sense, I mean, you did work for the Joja Corp for, like, years. This must be a case of love at first scowl!"

Sam roared with laughter at his own joke, attracting the attention of Emily and Haley who were set up on their own towels a short distance away. Emily smiled and waved. Haley arched an eyebrow and resumed her tanning.

"I don't get why you're laughing," I said. "You work for Joja too. How's that going, by the way?"

The laughter stopped almost immediately. Sam's voice took on a serious tone. "It's a dead end, Max. I stock shelves, for crying out loud. There's nowhere to go from there. You've met Morris, right? The manager?"

"Nah. I avoid everything Joja like the plague, bro. If I know Joja Corp though—and I do—he's a blood sucking monster who isn't above selling his mother's soul to turn a profit."

"Sounds about right. Dude cuts my hours and nickles and dimes me at every chance he gets. It's a crying shame. And it doesn't matter 'cause that place is the best I can do. I would have joined the army already if it wouldn't kill my mother. She's already worried to death because of dad, and I can't leave Vince without a dad _and_ a big brother."

I sat up and took full stock of Sam. He was staring up at the sky with a dull look in his eyes. I felt for him, I really did. The Joja Corp had driven me into a very dark place. It was hard to see the same thing happening to one of my friends.

"There must be something else you can rely on, brother. Aren't you in a band with Sebastian and Abigail?"

"We don't even have a name. Heck, we haven't even decided what kind of music we want to play."

"Okay, well, what about Penny? Don't you have something going on with her?"

Sam shrugged. "I have no idea. Penny is a sweet girl. Really, she is, but I don't know if I want to be with her. She wants the whole nine yards: house, kids, family, all that. And I have no way to give it to her. She's a smart girl, really driven. She wants out of that trailer, I can tell, but that trailer is better than anything I can give her right now. I wish I was like you, Max. Your own house, acres of land, a little dog to run wild all over the place. Must be nice."

"And you still want to be a rockstar," I added.

"Dreams are all that keeps us alive, Max."

"I didn't know things were that bad, Sam. Come on. Let's get back in the water. We don't need to be getting depressed on your day off!"

Sam and I got up and raced towards the sparkling blue water, kicking up sand, making our hearts race, and clearing our minds of all things related to work, stress, and life in general. We spent the race of the day swimming laps, playing catch with a small ball I had brought, and relaxing amongst the waves.


	10. A Summertime Argument

_Authors note: All the introductory fluff is over and now we're moving into some pretty serious stuff. Tell me what you think about this chapter. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this one in particular. Leave a review or follow me on twitter at JonClay14_

Taking a day off from working on my field or hiking through the forest had been wonderful. Before, when my soul was property of Joja Corp, my days off were few and far between. The little time off I did manage to take saw me spending all day in bed, holding back the tears, desperately trying to not give in to the pervasive darkness. That's not to say that my day off had been completely relaxing.

Sam's words stuck with me. When I had come to the valley I had assumed that such a small community whose calendar was inundated with festivals and activities would be close and friendly. My naivety had let me come to the valley expecting a content, simple people. How wrong I was. All it took was a few weeks to see that my expectations were vastly different from the reality.

The people here lived close-by, but they were barely neighbors. They stayed in their cliques, stuck to their routines, and spent the days simply existing. My talk with Sam showed me that while the valley represented salvation to me, it was a trap to be escaped in the eyes of others. Though no one else exhibited the unbridled hostility towards life in the valley like Haley and Alex, many others were unsatisfied. Sebastian told me that he had aspirations of moving to the city to be a programmer, though I don't think that path is as easy as he has led himself to believe. Abigail wants to be an adventurer and dreams of going into the mines, but Pierre has a stroke every time she goes close to the mountains. Leah and Elliot are living the lives of the lost artist, stuck in a constant cycle of malcontent creation. Emily is doing Yoba knows what. Clint spends all day in his shop, coming out only to gaze woefully at Emily and never saying a word. I could honestly go on and on. The only people who actually seemed to be content with their lives were Demetrius, and, oddly, Linus. The wild man and I had a lot of opportunities to get to know each other. Although I had agreed to spend less times in the mines, I still found myself throwing myself into the now familiar caves every so often. What can I say? It was a good workout, a solid source of income, and fighting monsters was quite fun on its own.

One day, during the final week of Summer, I took the long way home from the mines. Instead of cutting through the mountains and entering my farm from the top, I found myself sitting before the fountain, basking in late afternoon sun. The mines were intriguing. I had traveled deep enough to discover a world of ice and frost. After spending all day in icy ruins wearing nothing but a thin t-shirt and some sturdy jeans, the extreme summer heat was more than welcome.

My eyes were closed, my sword was by my side, and my mind was full of thoughts of my farm. Nimble, my sweet little pup, would probably be dashing through the bits of the field I had yet to clear, making a mess as usual. I made a mental note to check Robin and find out about building a chicken coop or repairing my house. I'd need a place to shower when the temperature went down. I started as I felt someone sit on the other side of the bench. My heart skipped a beat. Of course, it was Haley with a colorful magazine clutched in her dainty fingers. Like everyone else in the valley she had her own little routine. This was her reading spot. We hadn't spoken a word to each other since the flower dance. I decided to keep it that way. The two of us sat, paying each other no mind, and, surprisingly, I was okay with it. At least, I was. Until she opened her cute, stupid little mouth.

I stretched my tight limbs, crossing my arms behind my head and let out a soft yawn. From next to me, I heard an obviously disgusted scoff. I turned and found Haley staring at me. Her face was scrunched up, her eyebrows knitted, and she had to nerve to be sneering at me.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"Haven't you ever heard of deodorant?" Haley said with venom.

I flushed, feeling my face and ears growing hot. She had a point. Really, she did. Mining was hot, sweaty, work despite the frosty environment. I must have stank something fierce and had exposed her to the worst of it. I opened my mouth to reply, my pride demanded it, but I had second thoughts. What would it accomplish? Haley and I weren't friends. In fact, she barely knew my name. I got to my feet, collecting both my gem-laden pack and my sword.

"Sorry about that," I said.

Haley huffed and stuck her face into her magazine, pointedly ignoring me. I put her out of my mind. Life was too short to try and figure her out, I decided. However, while life was short, the day was long. I had a good few hours of daylight left. I had been planning to spend it on that bench. A plan that was no longer feasible. I ran through the options in my mind. The forest was too far, the beach was too hot, and if I saw my messy field in daylight I would end up working into the night. I couldn't even explore the town anymore. I had already gone over every nook and cranny. All but one, at least. In front of my was a large, broken down grey building. The windows were open, the roof was missing tiles, and ivy had grown all over the structure. The community center. The one place I had yet to explore. I made my way to the front door and, unfortunately, found it locked. I walked back over to Haley.

"Hey, do you know who has the key to that building over there?"

Haley lowered her magazine and rolled her eyes. "I don't know, maybe the mayor? Why don't you use your brain instead of asking me stupid questions, farmer boy?"

Alright. Now she had gone too far.

"What the heck is your problem with me? I asked a simple question. There's no need for you to be so-so-so-"

"So _what_? Go ahead, say it. I dare you," Haley said. She threw her magazine to the side and crossed her arms.

"I won't give you the satisfaction," I said. "All I mean is that there's no reason for you to treat me like I'm scum."

Haley rolled her eyes. "I see the way you look at me. All wide-eyed and dopey. I'm simply letting you know exactly where you stand."

"You made that abundantly clear at the Flower Dance, thank you very much," My face burned with embarrassment as memories of that day came flooding back.

"Are you still thinking about that?" Haley smirked.

I was standing in front of her, looking down into her brilliant blue eyes, yet it felt like she was the one looking down on me.

"I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings," Haley continued. "Sorry that I didn't immediately leap into the arms of a strange man who I've only known for three weeks. Really. My humblest apologies for not immediately realizing how lucky I was that you bestowed your affections on me, farmer boy. Listen to me, alright? Because I'm only going to say this once. I don't owe you _anything_. Especially not an apology for rejecting you. Get over it."

I bit my lower lip and took a deep breath. Her words stung badly.

"I don't think you owe me anything," I said. "I just think that you're really pretty, and I wanted to dance with you, maybe get to know you better. That's really all it was."

I spun on my heels and stomped away. I wanted to be far away from her, from everyone. For a moment, I thought I saw her expression softening. Must have been a trick of the light.


	11. A Talk between Sisters

_(I finally got around to writing this. Sorry guys, I've been in Canada since July 4th. It's a sort of extended vacation to celebrate me finally getting my degree. As always follow me on twitter JonClay14 for updates on my writing and be sure to tell me what you think of this chapter.)_

Max hurried through the town, desperate to put as much distance between him and Haley as possible. He kept his gaze down, trying his best to hold back the tears as he made his way back to the farm. The streets of Pelican Town were mostly empty. Completely empty, in fact, except for one person with a head of shockingly blue hair.

"Hey, Max!" Emily called as she saw the farmer approaching.

Max bit his lip and turned his face, obviously avoiding her gaze. Emily saw the dark look on his face and stopped in her tracks. She opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it.

'What on earth,' she thought.

Emily turned away from Farmer Max, her mind racing to figure out exactly what could have had happened to her usually cheery friend. It looked as if he had come from the mines, but that wouldn't have him looking like that. Max spent many evenings in the saloon. Emily knew from experience that after a day in the mines Max was exhausted, beaten down, maybe even a little despondent. No matter how bad the day had been, she had never seen Max look so hurt. Her curiosity got the better of her and her mind cycled through the many possibilities. What could put Max—a cheerful, calm, sweet guy like Max—in such a sour mood?

Max wasn't much of a fisherman, so the lake wasn't a likely suspect. Besides, it was unlikely that a poor day's catch would have anyone—save for the most sensitive of fishermen— glaring at their feet and stomping home. He must have had a falling out with someone. The only people who lived north of the main town were Robin, Demetrius, and their kids. Emily thought it extremely unlikely that Max had a falling out with any of them. Max was on good terms with nearly everybody, especially Robin's son, Sebastian. What else was in that direction? Nothing. Well, nothing except for the empty community center and the fountain. And no one would spent much time by the fountain. No one, except-

Emily groaned as the realization hit her, and headed straight for the fountain where she knew her sister liked to spend her evenings.

Haley was sitting with her chin in her hands on one of the plain wooden benches that surrounded the fountain. A soft summer breeze tousled her hair and took away the remnants of her lonely tantrum—the torn up pieces of her photography magazine. At the time she had felt a sort of sadistic pleasure from cutting Max to pieces with her vicious words. Now that the moment had passed, a feeling of guilt and anger had set in. Haley was no fool. She knew that her fellow townsfolk thought her to be a vain, capricious, stuck-up brat, and on most days she didn't care. Today, however, she was upset precisely because she had allowed herself to behave just as they would have expected her to. Oh, she could just imagine what Sam and the rest of the dullards would say when Max told them what had happened. She heard the sound of soft footfalls and turned her head to see her sister, blue hair easily distinguishable in the evening sunlight, coming towards her. Haley groaned and clenched her jaw.

"Hey," Emily said. She smoothed her red dress as she sat next to her sister, crossing her ankles demurely.

" _You_ ," Haley snarled.

"Me," Emily scooched closer to Haley, placing one hand in her lap. "I just passed Max on the way over here. He looked as if someone punched him in the gut and rubbed his face in the dirt."

Haley groaned and hid her face in her hands.

"Come on," Emily continued. "Tell me what happened."

"I bitched him out," Haley spat. "That's what happened."

There was no one in the world who knew Haley the way Emily did. Sure, they had their arguments. Both of their personalities frequently clashed, especially when it came to mundane matters like household chores or Emily's cooking, but, at the end of the day, Emily knew her baby sister like the back of her hand. She was the one person in the world who always knew when Haley was hurting, and how to make her feel better.

"Did he do something to piss you off?" Emily asked.

"No," Haley said, fixing Emily with a piercing glare. "You did."

"Me?" Emily arched an eyebrow. "What did I do?"

"You know what you did. Ever since the stupid Flower Dance all I've heard is 'Haley, you were too mean to Max' or 'Max is a good guy for you, you should apologize.' Max this, Max that-UGH!" Haley balled her fists and slammed them against the bench. "It's so annoying! I'm trying to get my tan on at the beach and you poke me in the stomach, telling me to look at how muscular Max is getting. Or I go out with Alex and I have to hear about how much of a better match you think Max is."

"I suppose I might have been laying it on a bit too thick," Emily admitted.

"You think? I guess when he finally spoke to me. . .the dam burst and I took it all out on him. I told him that I didn't owe him anything, basically. Now he thinks that I'm a huge bitch. Just like everyone else does."

"Hey now. Not everyone thinks that," Emily said. "I'm sure Alex doesn't."

Haley scoffed. "Oh please. Alex definitely thinks that, and so do you. Don't deny it."

"Well, I'm sure Max won't think that. He's not the kind of guy to go around bad mouthing a girl all over town."

Haley rolled her eyes. "Here we go again with the Max worship. If he's such a great guy why don't you snatch him up?"

Emily leaned back, resting her weight on her arms, looking up at the clear blue sky. "Maybe I might. I could see myself living on that farm. Dancing through fields of crops lovingly sown by my hunky farmer husband. That cute little dog of his would chase me around, nipping playfully at my heels. And then, at night, he would take me in his big, strong arms and-"

"Whoa there, princess!" Haley put a finger to Emily's lips. "Take it easy. I don't need to hear your fantasies."

"I'm just saying," Emily moved so her face was an inch away from Haley's. "Have you seen his hands? Think of the _calluses."_

Haley blanched and Emily broke out in a fit of laughter at her sister's reaction to her teasing. "Seriously, I don't think Max is a bad guy. He's just-"

"An idiot who wanted to dance with me," Haley said. She sighed and relaxed her shoulders. "Poor guy. Who can blame him for falling for me in the first place? After all I _am_ the most beautiful bachelorette in this podunk town."

"Yes, beautiful and hopelessly modest," Emily said.

"Of course," Haley agreed. "Did you see his face at the dance? As soon as he asked me he looked like he wanted to die."

"I did see it, Haley. We all did."

Haley laughed. A short, tinkling burst of joy, and then grew quiet. When she spoke her voice was strangely quiet. "I should apologize, shouldn't I?"

"I don't know. Do you have feelings for Max?"

Haley shook her head. "Not in that way. He's not my type. Sorry, but it's true."

"Either way you should. You know our parents raised us to treat people better than that," Emily said.

Haley groaned at the mention of her parents. She found it exceedingly annoying when Emily tried to mother her. Emily smiled and ran a finger through her sister's hair. She knew better than anyone else what the people in town thought of Haley. They were always careful not to bad mouth her when Emily was around, but her ears were good and people always forget themselves once they've had a beer or two.

In a way they were right. She was arrogant, self-centered, more than a little stuck-up, and capable of being surprisingly mean. She was also sweet, tender, and could be the nicest person in the world once you got to know her. At the end of the day she was a normal person, just like everyone else. Emily wrapped her arm around her baby sister and pulled her in for a hug.


	12. Jumpin' Junimos

_This was more work than I wanted it to be. Leave a review and follow me on twitter JonClay14_

"I have no idea how you spend all day in this place," I said. We were in the last days of Summer and temperatures were finally starting to drop. Dawn and dusk had acquired the traditional chill that told of Fall's imminent arrival. Still, the days were hot, and it was much worse inside Clint's smithy. I was wearing a thin t-shirt, sturdy jeans and thick boots. Sweat was pouring down my face, neck, and back.

"I guess I've gotten used to the heat," Clint shrugged. He was wearing his smith's apron and strong, sturdy clothes to protect him from the forge's flame. By my estimates he should've died from heatstroke by now. Then again, Clint was a strong man. Working the forge had given him powerful arms and a broad back. Really, it was his face that let him down. He had a baby face and a weak chin that he kept hidden by that goatee. The beer belly wasn't doing him any favors either. Mostly, though, no one took him seriously because of his attitude.

Clint was a timid fellow. He was clearly crushing hard on Emily. Everyone knew it—including Emily, I'm sure. He had few friends and made no effort to get to know anyone, preferring to spend his free time sitting in the saloon staring at Emily out of the corner of his eye. I was one of those few friends, and we had only gotten to know each other by force. I needed someone to look after my tools and he was the only one to do it.

"So when will I get this back?" I said, motioning towards my axe. "Planting is basically done for the season. I want to use my free time clearing away some of those stupid trees."

"Good work takes time, Max," Clint said, flashing me a small grin. "It'll be done in a few days for sure. I'm sure there's more than enough things on that farm to keep you busy."

I stretched my tight muscles and yawned. The heat was making me drowsy. "Not really. Robins fixing up my house, and there's nothing to do until Fall begins. Really, ever since I got those sprinklers set up I'm only busy in the beginning of the season when planting starts."

Clint nodded in understanding. "You can always delve into the mine. If you can get enough gold then you can make Quality Sprinklers. Then you'll really start making money. Of course, if you don't want to go into the mines, I sell gold ore at competitive rates."

I snorted and Clint laughed despite himself. "Your ore prices are highway robbery. I'd gladly risk getting carved up by those monsters instead of paying all that money," I said.

"You're the only one who actually goes mining. Everyone else is glad to pay my prices," Clint said.

"Careful, brother," I said. "You're starting to sound like the Joja Corp."

"A man's gotta eat. Not all of us grow our own food, Max. Now get out of here and let me get to work on this axe. See you at the saloon later?"

I nodded. "First rounds on you."

Clint's laughter escorted me out of the smithy. A refreshing breeze hit me almost immediately, tickling my skin and cooling me down. The breeze wasn't enough, and I wasn't about to go jumping in the river. Normally I would go to the saloon, but it was too early. I had plans to drink with Clint later. If I started this early then I would be a drunken mess before eight o'clock. A solution presented itself in the form of Mayor Lewis. I had been meaning to talk to the old man for a while as the Community Center held my curiosity.

Thinking about the Community Center brought up bad memories; a pain that had yet to truly heal. I shoved those thoughts away. I would not let _her_ ruin my mood. How foolish I was. I began walking into the center of town and my stomach dropped. I had come to the smithy from the top of town, passing through the mountains instead directly through the town. Perhaps my preference of taking the longer route was due to an innate desire to avoid seeing _them_.

Alex kept himself busy during the summer months by running an ice cream stand. That wasn't a problem. I had no quarrel with him. Honestly, he probably didn't even remember meeting me. My problem was with the beautiful blonde that was leaning on the ice-cream stand, rubbing a finger through Alex's wavy hair. Today she was wearing a yellow sundress, a wide-brimmed sun hat and matching flats. She was gorgeous. Alex said something and she threw her head back, tucked an errant strand of fine blonde hair behind her ear, and laughed.

It was too much for me. I turned and made to head in the opposite direction, but, no. I would not do that. I was an adult, damn it. I had my wild years in university. I've broken hearts and had my heart broken many times before. I was above such childish behavior. Besides Pelican Town was small. I couldn't avoid her forever. Especially considering the fact that Emily and I had become such fast friends. I set my jaw, steeled my nerves and strode forward as quickly as I could, keeping my gaze determinedly pointed straight ahead.

Big Mistake.

The closer I got, the more I could make out their conversation. I heard a tinkling laugh, a truly beautiful sound, a soft chime that was easily heard over the strong Summer wind. Before I could stop myself, I turned to see Haley with her head thrown backward, laughing at some joke Alex must have told. With a shock I realized that even though I had lived in Stardew Valley for two seasons I had never, before this moment, heard Haley's laugh.

At that moment she turned and our eyes met. I clenched my jaw, forced myself to break away from her gaze, and went on my merry way.

Haley loved Summer with all her heart. Fall was too much work. Emily subjected her to such indignities like raking leaves or sweeping the sidewalk. Winter was much too cold; she couldn't go to the beach or spend time relaxing by the fountain. Spring was alright, the best part of it was the Flower Dance. Summer was perfect. There was barely any rain, she could spend time by the beach relaxing on the hot sand or in the warm water, and the weather was just right for sitting by the fountain with a good magazine. And she couldn't forget her favorite Summer activity: hanging out with Alex by his ice-cream stand.

She was doing just that, leaning over the stand, running her finger along Alex's rock hard biceps and laughing at something he said when she caught sight of Max in her peripheral vision. Remembering her promise to Emily to apologize for her behavior, she turned, intent on catching Max's eyes. She began to raise her hand in greeting but stopped when she saw Max looking at her with murder in his eyes. She had been hoping that he would have gotten over it by now, but, nope, he was still wearing his hurt on his sleeve. Haley watched Max stomp away, surprised by how heavy her heart felt.

"Hey, Alex, I'm going to take off," Haley said.

"Already, babe?"

Haley flashed him her best smile. "Yeah, I've got something to take care of."

Alex shrugged. Haley leaned forward, placed a gentle kiss on Alex's tan cheek, then set off in search of Max. Might as well get it over with as soon as possible.

I left Mayor Lewis's house after a short conversation, tossing a heavy iron key into the air. I hadn't learned much about the Community Center, when I asked about it Lewis grew eerily morose. What he did tell me was that Joja Corp was interested in buying it. Apparently they were going to tear it down and use the space as a warehouse. Mayor Lewis told me that if one more person bought membership at Joja Mart he would sell it to them. Fat lot of good that would do. I was the sole resident of the valley without a membership and I had no intention of getting one anytime soon. Better the Community Center stand as a pile of mildewed ruins than be turned into another brick in Joja's soulless corporate empire.

My brief stay in the smithy was still affecting me. My t-shirt clung uncomfortably to my skin. Once I passed Pierre's shop on my way to the Community Center I ripped my t-shirt off and threw it over my shoulder. The breeze licked at my exposed torso, cooling me down, making life bearable again.

"Hey, Max."

I turned towards the sound of my name and saw Haley coming towards me, her blonde hair bouncing with each step. The jealous, irrational part of my brain told me to ignore her and continue on my merry way. The sensible, rational part told me that that was stupid. Once again I had to remind myself that I was an adult. So, I stood there, trying to keep my face as possible which certainly wasn't easy. As she came closer I could see her blonde locks bouncing with each step and her sundress moving fluidly around her long legs.

Her eyes danced over my bare chest and I grew painfully aware of my partial nudity.

"Hello, Haley," I said.

The two of us stood in the middle of the street separated by two feet and an awkward silence.

"So," Haley said. She clasped her hand behind her back bit her lower lip. "How've you been?"

I cocked my head to the side. "I mean, I'm fine? I guess?"

"That's good," She glanced at her feet, obviously trying to find the words that would cut the tension between us.

Surprisingly, I wasn't embarrassed. I was fed up. Fed up of these stupid feelings I had for a girl I barely knew, fed up of living in my own head and allowing myself to seethe with jealousy. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to go check out the Community Center and then go about enjoying the rest of my Summer.

"Look, do you need something?" I asked. "I kinda have something to do."

Haley flushed. "Am I interrupting your half-nude stroll through the mountain?"

I turned around and walked away. Behind me I heard Haley curse and she began following me.

"Max, wait! I'm sorry!"

I said nothing. She broke out in a run—difficult because of her strappy sandals—and grabbed my arm.

"Would you stop!"

Our eyes met. She glanced down at my chest and I thanked Yoba that all the farm work had done wonders for my body.

"Okay, I'm stopped," I said. "What do you need?"

"I wanted to apologize," Haley said plainly. "For the horrible things I said last time. Don't get me wrong, I don't like you in that way. I want to make that abundantly clear, but I was wrong to bash you like that."

Despite my newfound need to put this entire ordeal behind me, I felt my stomach dropped. I don't think I can be blamed for the way I felt. When a cute girl like Haley shoots you down you're bound to feel at least a little dejected.

"Okay." I pulled my arm free and made my way towards the Community Center, trying to focus all my attention on the dilapidated building.

"Hey!" Haley stomped up behind me. "I said I was sorry! Stop being such a brat!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not being a brat. I accept your apology. Now, good-bye."

She grabbed my arm again and pulled me around to face her.

"No, you're being a brat. Stop being a little baby!"

"Yelling at me, huh? And here I thought this was supposed to be an apology."

"It was before you decided to be all immature. Here I am, swallowing my pride and putting my best foot forward, and you won't even look me in the eye!"

"What do you want me to say? I asked, exasperated. "Did you expect me to smile, wave, and be your best friend just because you said you were sorry? Look, I do accept your apology. Really, I do. But I can't pretend that things between us aren't awkward. You know that I like you and I know that you don't feel anywhere near the same way. There's nothing we can do about that. Maybe with some time we'll be able to be friends, but, right now, I think it's for the best if we keep our distance."

Haley bit her lower lip. Her arm fell away from mine, leaving the two of us standing in the grass like two idiots.

"You're right. I just," She shrugged.

"It'll be okay," I said. "Don't worry about it. Now, I really do have something to do. See you around."

"Where are you off to?"

I pointed towards the Community Center, flashing her the key at the same time. "Off exploring."

"I'll come with you," Haley said. "Let me give you a tour to make up for it."

"If you insist."

The two of us walked towards the Community Center. An air of forced calm settled between us. Neither of us said a word. There was a rusty chain and a large padlock around the door. I used the key I had gotten from the Mayor and they fell away with a loud clang. Haley stood back and watched as I forced the door open.

The inside of the Community Center was a mess. The roof had holes that let in the sunlight, and, undoubtedly, rain which was probably responsible for the damp floors and rotting scent. The floorboards had broken apart, exposing large sections of bare earth that was now host to a spreading plant. In the corner, next to the old fireplace, was a strange stone structure. The fishtank was cracked and there was an assortment of trash, probably decades old, scattered about.

"Jeez, what happened to this place?"

Haley steppe into the room, sticking close behind me. She scrunched up her face as the scent hit her. "It hasn't been used in forever. When Emily and I were kids people used to be in here all the time."

"And then?"

Haley shrugged. "The war. I don't think I have to tell you that the Valley isn't the close-knit community that you thought it was, Max. It was once, I guess. Then the war happened and prices shot right up. Ingredients got more expensive and some of the older men got called off to fight. All of a sudden people had no more money to spend on keeping this place together. And then Joja Corp came in which did wonders for Pierre's attitude."

"I can imagine how he felt watching his friends flock to the lower prices," I said.

Haley walked into the room. She grabbed me by the belt and pulled me along with her. My heart jumped at the contact. She had a pensive look on her face as she recalled old memories.

"So that's what happened. No one wanted to keep the thing, and then everyone sort of just drifted apart. The younger generation wasn't as close as the older folk, anyway. We've all sort of formed into our own cliques."

I opened my mouth to respond when I saw something move in the corner of my eye.

"What was that?" My voice echoed in the loud room.

"What was what?"

Something scurried in the shadows. Haley wrapped her arms around me, jamming herself against my bare flesh.

"IT'S A RAT!"

I groaned as she squeezed my ribs with surprising strength. "Calm down, Haley!"

We saw it again, plain as day. It wasn't a rat. It was a small, green _thing_. Like a slime with small eyes and stick-thin legs. It moved across the wooden floor and I swear by Yoba it seemed to be regarding us with a strange curiosity. Haley screamed like a banshee and jumped on my back, sinking her fingers into my bare flesh.

"Haley, calm down!" I said. It took all my strength to remain standing.

"Get me out of here!"

WIth Haley's legs wrapped around my body and her fingers tugging at my hair, I really had no choice but to listen to her. I steered both of us out of the Community Center and into the bright sunlight. Haley jumped off my back, wrapping her arm around her chest.

"I _hate_ rats! Did you see the size of that thing?" Haley shuddered.

"It was green and had neither fur nor tail. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a rat."

"Okay, so it was a mutated rat," Haley shuddered again. "I'm going home, Max. I've had enough excitement for today."

I watched her walk away, muttering curses under her breath. I know what I saw. I may have been distracted by Haley's soft flesh pressing up against mine, but I know what I saw. That thing was no rat. I went back to my farm, taking the scenic route through the mountains. As I soaked in my little lake I tried to figure out what it could have been. It certainly wasn't a rat. And it wasn't a slime either. Slimes were translucent and they certainly didn't have legs.

I awoke the next day intent on revisiting the Community Center when I saw a letter in my mailbox from someone calling themselves a wizard. The letter told me to come to the stone tower in the middle of the forest. It promised me further instruction. I tucked the letter into my pocket, picked up my sword, and headed into the forest to see what this strange person wanted.


	13. The Essence of the Forest

_I always felt like the scene in the game where we drink the potion wasn't dramatic enough. Don't forget to leave a review and a comment. And follow me on twitter Jonclay14_

Most of my early days in the valley were spent in the forest foraging for leeks, spring onions, or other goodies that I could use to bolster my diet without hurting my wallet. Pierre's my bro, but I wasn't about to pay for his overpriced groceries and I'd starve before I give Joja a single G. Once I got the hang of farming and mining I started staying away. Summer's bounty was much less than spring's and I chose to spend my free time either working in the mines or soaking in the warm, salty sea than rummaging around the forest's dingy undergrowth.

Standing before the mysterious tower, I could see why I had never noticed it. The stone was slightly dark and covered in vines, blending in brilliantly with the surrounding trees. It was easy to miss if you weren't being particularly observant or your attention was completely devoted to ferreting out the delights hidden in the bushes.

The valley was home to many weird myths and legends. The mines were infested with slimes, skeletons, bats, and strange creatures that resembled sentient shadows. There was no reason to disbelieve the existence of an actual wizard. Still, I carried my sword by my side. My trusty pup, Nimble, was also with me, dashing between the trees and barking at bushes. He was mostly there for moral support. I took a deep breath, stomped up the stairs, and knocked on the door.

The wooden door swung open, allowing me to catch a glimpse of a small table and two chairs.

"Hello?" I called out. Nimble rushed up the stairs to stand beside me, his tail furiously wagging back and forth, and let out a happy bark.

"Come in, Max. I've been expecting you."

The sound of my name being uttered by a voice I had never heard immediately put me on edge. I met Nimble's eyes and nodded before entering the tower. I like to imagine that he nodded back.

At once my attention was caught by an immense cauldron that sat atop a roaring fire. It was filled to the brim with a strange green liquid that produced a column of green smoke. To my right was what I assumed to be a spell-circle; a mess of curved lines surrounded by red candles. Before I could examine the rest of the dimly lit room, I saw the man himself, the supposed wizard. He wore flowing black robes with purple sleeves that matched his purple hair and beard. Around his neck was a golden amulet that gave off a soft glow.

"I'd prefer you to leave your pooch outside," the wizard said. Nimble had come into the room behind me and was sniffing the floor. No doubt his sensitive nose was overwhelmed by the assortment of strange odors that permeated the small space.

"I'd prefer it if he stayed," I said in a voice that was hopefully slightly intimidating.

The wizard shrugged and motioned me to come closer.

"Your fear, though understandable, is thoroughly unnecessary," The wizard said. "I mean you no harm."

"Well right now I'm in a stone tower in the middle of a forest talking to a man who claims to be a wizard and who seems to know a lot about me despite never having made my acquaintance," I said. "I'd say that my fear and concern might be _slightly_ necessary."

"People fear that which they do not understand," The wizard said, bowing his head slightly. "Let us get straight to the point then. I shall not keep you here if you wish to be elsewhere."

"Yeah, let's get to the point. What was that green thing I saw in the Community Center yesterday? And are you really a wizard?"

The wizard sighed, shaking his head almost imperceptibly. He touched two fingers to his temple and there was a bright flash of light. The spell circle had been illuminated by a glowing orb. Inside that orb was one of the creatures I had seen the day before. Outside of the dark community center, the thing was actually quite cute, though it seemed to be uncomfortable sitting trapped and motionless in the wizard's glowing circle.

All of my doubts and misgivings disappeared in an instant. "Whoa. What is that thing?"

The wizard removed his hand from his temple and the glowing ball, along with the thing inside, disappeared. "They call themselves the 'Junimos.' They are mysterious spirits of the forest. I don't know much about them, such as why they decided to move into the Community Center, unfortunately. For some reason they refuse to talk to me."

Nimble ran into the spell-circle and began sniffing the candles. "Maybe it has something to do with you trapping their kind in weird balls of light? That one didn't seem to be too comfortable with the situation."

"Be that as it may, I find it exceedingly interesting that they chose to show themselves to you," The wizard said. "And it brings me to the reason I invited you into my arcane sanctum. I will give you ability to communicate with the Junimos in exchange for you telling me what you learn about them."

"Communicate? You want me to talk to the things? Is that even possible?"

"It most certainly is. Direct your attention to my cauldron. In it is a delicate mix that conveys the essence of the forest. By consuming it you will become one with the forest, able to understand the language and writings of the Junimo."

I stood with my hands on my hips, observing the green smoke and boiling liquid. I had had a lot of the 'essence of the forest' myself back in my college days. If I hadn't seen the wizard conjure the junimo out of thin air mere moments before I would have politely but firmly excused myself from his presence.

"Why do you want to know about the Junimo?" I asked. "You're not going to hurt them, are you? They seem pretty harmless."

"I assure you that my interest in them is purely scholarly. They are spirits of the forest, not chattel to be used or dissected. I wish to know about their culture and motivations. You will help me."

Still, I wasn't convinced. "I don't know. I came to here to live a peaceful life. No offense, but getting involved with magic men and forest spirits would kind of negate my entire goal."

The wizard arched an eyebrow. "I didn't know that peaceful was synonymous with mundane, boring, and monotonous. I ask you to go into no danger or epic adventure. All you have to do is speak with the Junimo and learn more about them. If you feel no lingering curiosity or have no desire to learn more about these strange, wondrous creatures then you may feel free to leave and live your life pretending that neither I nor the Junimos exist."

Appealing to my sense of adventure was a smart move. I made my way over to the cauldron, heart beating faster with each step, until I stood before the boiling mess. As I got closer I was assaulted by the scent of wood, leaves, and loamy soil. This stuff was the essence of the forest, alright.

"I just have to drink it?"

The wizard nodded.

I reached out, grasping the handle of a ladle that had been hidden to me by the column of smoke and scooped out a hefty portion. For a second, one brief moment, I saw the reality of my situation. I was about to take a deep drink of a strange green liquid brewed by a man who may well be a legitimate wizard. Ah well. With a silent apology to my mother, who taught me to never take things from strangers, I took a swig.

The best way to describe the taste of that infernal potion is that it tasted the way wet dirt smells and had the texture of a soup made of limp leaves straight from the compost heap. I resisted the urge to heave. The images of oak trees and tall mushrooms danced in my head. A roar of tinnitus washed out the sound of Nimble barking and I fell backward onto the wooden floor as my vision gave out.


	14. My Decision

_I may want to kill myself, but this fic ain't dead yet. Don't forget to leave a comment or a review if you wanna see more. Also follow me on twitter. My handle is JonClay14. I'm tryna get my numbers up._

The forest came alive in my dreams. Trees danced in a stuffy green mist that smelled of fresly fallen leaves. Leaves grew and changed colors, then died and fell to the ground before appearing once more on the gnarled branches as the seasons changed. Before I could fully process what was happening, before I fell deeper into the grasp of the forest, my eyes flew open and I found myself staring at the ceiling of the wizard's tower.

"Well?" asked my purple-haired companion. "How do you feel?"

I straightened up and saw Nimble sitting in the corner. My poor pup must have been worried sick when he saw me fall over. When he saw that I was alright his ears perked up, his tail began to wag, and he rushed over and began licking my face.

"I have to admit that it wasn't the strangest feeling I've ever had," I said, lazily patting Nimble's head. "So is that it? I'm done? I don't feel very different."

The wizard bowed his head. "Yes, that is it. You are done. You now have the ability to converse with the Junimo, to read their strange language, and to decipher those strange scrolls you have seen. Whether or not you take advantage of this new opportunity is your decision and your decision alone."

There was a finality to his tone that let me know that there was nothing more to be said. I got to my feet, nodded to the wizard and left the tower with my pup by my side. Once outside the tower I was sure that the potion had had its intended effect. Something inside of me had changed. The air coursed through my lungs filling me with energy like never before. I felt the presence of the trees around me, felt it when the wind blew through their leaves and the forest critters danced through their boughs.

Nimble was staring up at me, his head turned to the side. I shook my head from side to side to clear my head and began making my way to the community center. The wizard's words were completely true, the decision was mine to make, but we both knew that there was only one choice I would make. Simply put, I had to do it. I couldn't sit on my farm all day content in my ignorance when there were strange, wondrous new mysteries to solve. It was the true reason I spent so much time in the caves, fighting monsters and mining ore. It was probably the true reason I came to the valley in the first place. To find a new adventure.

I passed Marnie's ranch, deeply engrossed in my own thoughts, until I was shaken from my reverie when I heard my name called by an all too familiar voice. Haley was standing beneath a tree with a camera clutched in her gloved hands. Seeing her there in her blue blouse and pink trousers, her blonde hair tied into a loose ponytail, made my breath catch in my throat. I shook my head again, pushing those thoughts away. I wasn't about to go down that road again.

"Hi, Max!" Haley waved at me and began walking over.

"Haley," I nodded towards here, remaining rooted in my spot.

Haley pocketed her camera, eyeing my sword and my dog. "Off to the mines again? Gonna kill some monsters or dig up some rocks or whatever it is you do?"

I pursed my lips. "Not today, actually. I'm off to the Community Center to see if I can get a glimpse of those, uh, 'rats' we saw the other day. What about you? Is that I camera I see? I didn't know that you were into photography."

A light pink tinge came across Haley's otherwise pale cheeks. "It's a hobby. Kind of like how farming seems to be a hobby of yours. You certainly don't seem to spend much time growing anything _Farmer_ Max."

"My sprinklers take care of my farm," I snorted. "And I grow plenty. In fact, Emily usually buys a lot of what I grow. How were those melons, by the way? Juicy and delicious, am I right?"

Haley shrugged. "They were alright. I was going to thank you for them, but I suppose I owe the sprinklers my gratitude instead."

I let out a small laugh. "I'll be sure to let them know. The poor things might gain sentience and do backflips once they find out that they actually got a compliment from you."

Haley scoffed, crossing her arms and furrowing her brow. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing," I said, not wanting another argument. I stretched my arms upward, relishing in the intense heat of the day, and an idea popped into my head. "Actually, can you help me out with something?"

The strawberry blonde cocked her head to the side, saying nothing, waiting for me to continue.

"I'm taking part in what is, essentially, a research assignment and I could sure use you and that camera."

"Research? You want me to come and take pictures of those huge rats?" Haley scoffed. "That's not going to happen."

"What if I told you, my dear Haley, that those rats aren't really rats. They're strange, ancient creatures of the forest that a wizard has tasked me with finding out more about."

My words were met with complete silence. A strong wind blew between us, carrying the scent of the Marnie's cows and sheep. Nimble had long since lost interest in our conversation and was sniffing at some weeds near Marnie's fence.

"A wizard," Haley said slowly, "told you that those rats aren't rats."

I nodded.

"That they're really mystical forest spirits."

I nodded.

"And you're going to. . .research them?"

"I drank a potion that contained the essence of the forest and now I can speak to them."

"You drank," Haley spoke even slower this time, "a potion given to you by some man claiming to be a wizard."

I nodded.

"I'm going home, Max."

I thrust out my palms, stopping her in her tracks. "I'm fully aware of how crazy this sounds, and I don't expect you to believe me. Not until you've seen them with your own eyes. Just trust me, come on."

Haley crossed her arms once more, regarding me with raised eyebrows. "If this turns out to be a practical joke or something-"

"Would I do that to you, Haley? Come on," I said.

"You wouldn't. I know that," Haley said. "Alright, fine. I'll play along with this stupid idea of yours, but I want you to promise me something."

"Anything for you," I said, perhaps a bit too vigorously. As soon as the words left my mouth I pursed my lips, using all my will to keep my face straight and my cheeks free of color. Haley was less successful. Blood flooded her cheeks. She opened and closed her mouth, trying to find words to say.

"You know how to use that sword, right?" She eventually said. "You better kill those rats before they get their nasty, diseased teeth into me."

"I'll keep you safe, Haley. I promise."

Haley closed her eyes and nodded, twirling her camera in her delicate fingers.

"Well then let's go."


	15. Into the Community Center

Walking through Pelican Town under the influence of the strange potion was a nearly overwhelming experience for Farmer Max. The green of the trees, the late summer scent borne by the winds, and the colors of the flowers. Everything seemed so much more vibrant. So very much more real.

"You don't seem to be all there today."

Max was jolted out of his reverie by the sound of Haley's voice. The duo was walking slowly through the valley, enjoying the crisp, cool breeze that signalled the coming of fall.

"Sorry about that," Max smiled sheepishly, putting both hands behind his head. "Today's been a pretty weird day. All things considered."

Haley rolled her eyes. "So it seems. I have to say, Maxwell, that drinking strange potions from crazy men and going off in search of imaginary little creatures doesn't paint a pretty picture."

"And yet here you are," Max said, changing his smile to a jester's grin. "Tagging right along with me. Besides, what's life without a bit of adventure?"

Haley rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to reply when another voice cut through the air.

"Haley! Babe!"

The duo had rounded the corner past the house that Haley and Emily shared and, standing in front of the saloon, was Alex. No doubt he had spotted Haley's blonde hair glistening in the afternoon sun. He paid Max no attention, as usual. In fact, Max didn't think that he and Alex had said more than two words to each other during the two seasons he had spent in the valley so far. What little conversation they did have was thoroughly dominated by Alex's vainglorious boasting.

After that, Max and Alex never really found much reason to hold a steady conversation. Of course, if Max was perfectly honest with himself, the relationship between Haley and Alex had influenced his opinion of the brown haired gridball player more than a little.

Haley perked up when she heard Alex's voice, stuffing her camera quickly into one of her coat's pocket. Max had given up on her. He kept telling himself that over and over again and yet none of those self-affirmations did anything to prevent the feeling of his stomach going into freefall.

"Sorry, Max. I didn't know Alex was going to be free today. Good luck finding your little critters!"

Before Max could utter a reply, Haley took off at a trot. In two shakes of a leaf she had wrapped her arms around Alex's and entered the saloon. Max's shoulders drooped. He let out a long sigh, and then continued to go about his day. His feelings towards Haley would go away. What little life experience he had had taught him that time would make slow work of those tepid emotions.

The Farmer made his way to the community center by himself. Somewhere along the way he was rejoined by his pup, Nimble. The little mutt had a habit of going off on his own, sniffing flowers and causing mayhem, but he always made his way home at the end of the day.

"Hey, boy," Max said, petting Nimble's head. "Looks like it's just you and me."

The community center's door was battered, broken in places, and barely hanging on to both hinges. There was something in there. Max could sense it. Nothing malicious, no. The presence was neither angry nor wicked. Rather, it felt like the forest. Pelican Town was a pocket of humanity in the middle of a fertile bastion of nature. While strolling through the town Max had not noticed how the presence of the forest, the natural aura of the wilderness, had slowly faded. But he felt it here in full force. There was something of the forest inside of the community center. Max steeled his nerves, determined to find out whether there was any truth to the wizard's words, and entered the run-down building.

Standing in the center of what had once been the bustling core of the town's social life, Max closed his eyes and allowed the forest's aura to wash over him. He could feel the cool breeze, hear the wind rustling the leaves, smell the grass, dirt, and water.

"Hello?" Max whispered.

Something skittered in the shadows. Max looked quickly to his left, but saw nothing. Throwing caution to the wind, he followed the sound. Nimble stayed close to his master, his tail tucked between his legs.

Max's instincts took him to a small room with blue wallpaper and no furniture save for an empty bookcase that held only cobwebs. The wallpaper was torn in places, as was the dingy purple carpet. Somewhere along the line someone had placed two bundles of firewood in the corner. And, sitting in the very middle of the room, casting a golden glow, was a scroll.

The scroll was perfectly square with sharp edges. Its golden hue was dimmed slightly by an illustration of a brown tree. Max made his way into the room, transfixed. The farmer knelt before the scroll and found that it was covered in strange writing and he was amazed to realize that he could make sense of it all. It was a list of many items. Dandelions, grapes, flowers, and many more. All items that Max had regularly come upon while foraging through the forest. Out of the corner of his eye Max spotted a small creature. A green ball with thin, spindly legs, peering at him from the shadows in the corner of the room. In his mind he heard it speak.

"Help us, and we shall help you."

 _(Hello? Is anyone there? Ghost Man? It's been a long time, I know, but things have been pretty hectic on my end. Jumping from job to job, trying to sort out my life, trying to be an overall better person and coming to grips with the harsh realities that come with adulthood. I haven't forgotten about the fic though. Please leave me a review and, if you're reading this and life has got you down, remember that you've got to keep trying. No matter what happens, you've got to keep trying. Keep cool, folks.)_


	16. Another day, just like the last

"Help us and we shall help you?" The wizard leaned back in his plush chair, idly running a finger through his purple beard. "Curious. How very curious."

Farmer Max was sitting on the wizard's couch with his bare feet stretched out onto the wizard's sitting table. He held a goblet full of a strange—yet oddly satisfying—purple liquid. The wizard was a strange fellow. A man of magic and mystery that was extremely out of place on the outskirts of the otherwise mundane Pelican Town, but he was a man like any other and, like all men, he had his strange habits and preferences. No one could doubt what the man's favorite color was, for example.

"You can admit that you don't know what they mean," Max said, taking a swig of his juice. "I won't judge you for it. I promise."

The wizard's whiskers ruffled as he gave Max a shrewd smile. "Of course I have no idea what they mean, Max. What would be the point of life if there were no answers to be found? No mysteries to be solved? I don't believe that I've ever claimed omniscience."

Max yawned. "I guess you're right. Seriously, though, what should we do now? I haven't so much as caught a glimpse of our little green friends since that encounter."

"Our path forward seems perfectly straight forward to me." The wizard said. "We give them what they want. You spoke of strange golden scrolls that appeared throughout the Community Center, did you not?"

Max nodded. "There were one or two, yeah. Lists, I think they are. Of fruits, vegetables, and other stuff. It seems obvious that that's what the Junimos want, but why? They're creatures of the forest, right? I'm sure that they can get they're more than capable of getting fruits and veggies on their own. Why do they need me to give it to them?"

The wizard shrugged. An action that was thoroughly unsuitable to Max given what he knew of the man's character.

"That is the question to which we must obtain an answer. For now I suggest that you try giving them what they want. Our future actions shall depend upon theirs."

Max groaned. The air outside was starting to bite. The warm breeze and pleasant heat of summer had given way to the dry chill of fall. The leaves had begun to change colors and paint the forest floor—and Millweed farm—with an array of bright orange and red hues.

"A lot of what they want is produce that is out of season, or stuff I can only get by foraging," Max straightened up, placing his bare feet on the wizard's fluffy, purple, rug. "Can't you magic me up some strawberries or something? Speed the process along somehow?"

"I could."

Max felt his chest swell with hope.

"But I will not."

Max deflated.

"The Junimos resist my influence. They have chosen to show themselves to you, Max. Not me, not the mayor, not anyone else in Pelican Town. They chose you. I believe that they have a reason for that and I will honor their choice by not aiding in the slightest."

"Wonderful," Max sighed. "This is going to take a while then. I hope you know that."

"All great questions take time to answer."

Max pursed his lips and got to his feet. He waved the wizard a silent goodbye and left the tower, pausing momentarily on its doorsteps to put on his fuzzy socks and boots. It wasn't cold enough to warrant a jacket just yet, so Max had stuck to his standard outfit of a thin t-shirt and sturdy trousers. He wouldn't be able to move quickly enough while wearing too many layers anyway, and quick movements were a necessity when navigating the caves.

Max made his way down the steps and set off towards his farm. He hadn't gone far before Nimble bound out of the bushes and began running laps around his master, barking joyously. Millweed Farm had grown tremendously in the short time Max had been running it. A fact that the farmer was more than a little proud of. He had poured his blood, sweat, and tears into Millweed Farm in an attempt to turn it into the place he had known and loved growing up.

The wild trees still ruled, but he had limited their spread and carved out enough space to grow his crops. He had started clearing up the boulders that Joja Corp had dumped in his yard as well. Clints knew his stuff, even if he was extremely expensive. A thorough network of hand-made sprinklers had been installed and he now had enough free time to wander the forest, hang out in the village, or fight his way through the caves.

Life was—for the first time in many, many years—going well. And Max was at a complete loss for what to do next. His entire life so far had revolved around overcoming challenges. Making it through school, getting into a good college, fighting through heartbreaks, the death of his grandfather, depression, and anxiety. He had tirelessly fought through all the hurdles life had placed in his way and made it through each and every one, picking up scars along the way. The dark thoughts hadn't disappeared. They were there, in the back of his mind, telling him to remain in bed. To do nothing. To let life pass him by. They whispered that life was not worth living, they threatened to take the colors out of his world, but everyday he fought. He would not go back to that world of dull greys when his reality was one of bright reds and blues.

"Got your head in the clouds, Max?"

Max jumped. Without realizing it he had stopped in his tracks with his hands in his pockets. He turned and saw Elliot sitting under a tree with his legs crossed, a novel held open in his hands. The aspiring author was wearing a frilly dress shirt that was open at the chest. His red jacket lay neatly folded next to him, his silky hair tied into a neat ponytail.

"Hey, Elliot," Max made his way over to the tree. "Taking a break from the writing?"

Elliot filled his lungs with air and breathed a deep sigh, his breath turning to mist as it met the frosty air. "There hasn't been much writing lately, I'm afraid. Quite a lot of procrastinating and staring at the waves, though. What about you?" He motioned to the ground next to him. "What has got our dear farmer so deep in thought?"

Max took the offered seat. Nimble rushed towards him and curled up in his master's lap. Max wrapped his arms around the dog's fluffy body, pulling his pooch close, enjoying his warmth and comfort.

"Thinking about life, you know? About the past and the future. Nothing too heavy."

"Forgive me for being presumptuous, my dear Maximus, but I thought that the entire reason you moved to Pelican Town was because you were dissatisfied with the direction your life had taken? Has your experience let you down?"

Max shook his head. "More like I'm not used to not having something specific to look forward to, I s'pose. I have things that I _want_ to do, but not things that I _need_ to do, if you get my drift."

"I understand," Elliot said, leaning back against the tree, placing his book in his lap. "It's difficult to find the motivation to spring to action when it is not specifically required. The most important thing is to never stop trying. That's what I believe. We have been blessed, you and I, with this thing called time. Think of how many people live their entire lives constantly doing what they must without ever having the time to do what they wish. We lucky few must take advantage of the opportunities that have been given to us."

"Easier said than done."

"My half-finished novel would agree with you there," Elliot chuckled. "There are times when I want to give up as well. You know what keeps me going?"

"The dream of how many girls you'll get once you finally get published?"

Elliot snorted. "Please, Maximus, I don't have to wait to get published to get girls. Have you _seen_ me? This chiseled jaw? These silky locks? Why, I had to move to this town just to get away from all of my admirers."

"You're such a humble author," Max smirked.

"I know," Elliot said, nodding slowly. "The world truly does not deserve me. On a serious note, the answer is friends. Friends like you keep me pushing to be the best that I can be. Don't ever forget, Maximus, that no matter how dark the world may seem, you are not alone."

"I appreciate that Elliot. I really do."

Max got to his feet. Nimble barked in annoyance as he was rudely removed from his master's embrace. "Well, come on Mr. Author. Let's go get sloppy drunk, see how many shot glasses Sam can balance on his head, and fall asleep on the beach."

"Let's hope it doesn't rain this time," Elliot said as he got up.

"Oh, and Elliot?"

"Yeah?"

"Max isn't short for Maximus."

"Really? What is it then?"

"You'll never know."

 _Author's note: Well, I've been gone for a while. I know, I know. I always do this. Show up once every few months and then disappear into my pit of misery. I keep trying to be more consistent. Maybe this time it'll stick. I hope you guys are all well, if any of you are still reading this fic. Max is an extremely easy character for me to write. Hope you guys enjoy and add me on facebook if you want to chat. I've started putting all of my stories there. Just search for Jon Clay._


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